Features Moscow, an exciting Trek Trip in Siberia (option for a Village Stay, non-trekking if preferred) and a Gobi Desert Jeep Trip, including buddhist monasteries, the former camp of Genghis Khan, and staying with Mongolian nomads.

Start Day:

Tue (odd-dated)

Duration:

18 days

Visas:

Rus, Mon & Chi

Day	Itinerary download a printable file of this itinerary (opens and prints on any Windows-95/98 computer)	Accom
1 Tue	Arrival to Moscow independently (or from one of our St Petersburg itineraries) Car to accommodation, Local Rep assists with check-in, balance of day free. Overnight at Hotel Mayak (or Family Stay - your choice, same price - FS includes Bkfst and Supper)	Htl Mayak or Family Stay
2	Buddy Assistance* for your first day in Moscow, to get your sightseeing off to a flying start. Overnight.	Htl Mayak or Family Stay
3	Morning free in Moscow, lunchtime departure by car to Yaroslavsky Stn, depart to Siberia on the Baikal Express	train
4	... on board the Baikal Express, via Ekaterinburg...	train
5	... on board the Baikal Express, via Omsk (am) and Novosibirsk (eve)...	train
6	... on board the Baikal Express, via Krasnoyarsk...	train
7	Arrival in Irkutsk. Car to family stay in Irkutsk city. Lunch. free time to explore Irkutsk independently. Return to family stay, preparations for trekking tomorrow. Supper.	Irkutsk Family Stay
8	Departure by public transport to Listvyanka Village. Trekking up the Primorsky Mountain in the direction of Bolshie Koty. Picnic lunch. Trekking further towards Srednaya Bay, make camp. Free time (swiming?), campfire supper, overnight. (total 10km, some uphill climbing involved)	Camping (tents)
9	Camp bkfst. Free time to walk by lakeshore, swim, relax. Picnic lunch. Trekking back along lakeshore to Listvyanka. (10km) Public transport back to Irkutsk Family Stay. Time to freshen-up. Supper.	Irkutsk Family Stay HB
10	Bkfst. Lunchtime car return to Irkutsk Station, morning departure to Ulaanbaatar on Train #264. (nb this is a lower-category train than others used in this itinerary, but is the only available connection - there is sometimes no restaurant car available, and it operates a 2nd-Class service only)	train
11	On board Train #264, to the Mongolian Border....	train
12	Border formalities during the night. Continue (without restaurant car for the final section) to Ulaanbaatar, arrival morning. Car to 2* Hotel accom, bkfst. Mongolian Buddy assistance for a walk around Ulaanbaatar. Own Lunch. Afternoon free to explore, overnight.	2* Hotel, UB
13	Bkfst. Whole day free to explore Ulaanbaatar independently (own lunch). (Maybe buy some snacks and drinks for the long journey tomorrow, possibly some small presents for the nomad hosts?) Supper and overnight at 2* Hotel.	2* Hotel, UB
14	Bkfst. Depart by local jeep to Karakorum (8 hrs off-road driving), lunch en-route. Accomodation at Harhorin (Karakorum) with local herdsmen family, supper and overnight.	Nomad Herdsmen
15	Bkfst with hosts. Visit Erdene Zuu Monastery (the only location in Mongolia with a proven link with Genghis Khan). Picnic Lunch. Drive to Hogno Khaan (approx 60 km), walking on the Holy Mountain. Supper and overnight with nomads.	Nomad Herdsmen
16	Bkfst. Visit to the Hogno Khaan Mountain Lamasery (a much smaller monastery, more typical of many now found once again in Mongolia). Return by jeep to Ulaanbaatar (approx 6.5 hours of off-road driving). Supper and overnight.	2* Hotel, UB
17	Car transfer to station, morning departure to Beijing by Train #24. Across the Southern Gobi Region to the Mongolian frontier. Midnight border crossing into Chinese Inner Mongolia. on through the night...	train
18	Across paddy-fields and through mountain ranges, and past the Great Wall of China. Arrival in Beijing mid-afternoon (scheduled). [In our opinion, this is the most stunning section of scenery on the whole trip!] End of itinerary (or link onwards on one of our China itineraries?)	-

* if you have arrived from St Petersburg, we will normally offer this to you on the preceding day since you arrive early-morning. If you are flying from Europe, there are almost no flights which arrive until mid/late afternoon, because of the flying time + the time-zone change (typical arrival times on Day 1 from London would be approx 16:00, regardless of which airline you fly.)

Want to add extra nights in Moscow? Nothing easier, but because the depart-day of the Trans-Sib is fixed, your extra days have to come before "Day 1". Click here for details.

Trip Price valid to Feb 28 2001	all prices are subject to change without notice
For the above itinerary inclusive of the travel services specified based on 2nd-Class/4-berth rail travel, accomodation, Russian Visa Admin:	-
Per Person based on ONE PASSENGER travelling alone. Choice (in Moscow) of (H) Hotel Accommodation incl bkfst, or (FS) Family Stay Accomodation incl Bkfst & Supper daily.	GBP 1325 pp
Per Person based on TWO PASSENGERS travelling together. Choice (in Moscow) of (H) Hotel Accommodation incl bkfst, or (FS) Family Stay Accomodation incl Bkfst & Supper daily.	GBP 1110 pp
This itinerary can be upgraded to 1-Cl/2-berth Rail Travel - supplement = GBP 255 pp NB the section from Irkutsk to Ulaanbaatar cannot be upgraded. IRKUTSK HOTEL UPGRADE OPTION. You can opt to have Hotel Accommodation (Hotel Angara, superior 2*, city-centre location) - upgrade price per night = GBP35pp/1-person, or GBP25pp/2-passengers. SEASON FOR THIS TRIP = MAY-SEPT ONLY	-

Trans-Sib Main

Bridge the World Main